


i know that you're there, so don't be sad [5/52]

by andrea_deer



Series: 52 aspec drabbles/ficlets of 2017 [5]
Category: Whitechapel (TV)
Genre: Asexual Character, Joe's POV, M/M, Mutual Pining, No Beta, Pre-Slash, asexual joe chandler, aspec drabbles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 17:04:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 776
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10667007
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/andrea_deer/pseuds/andrea_deer
Summary: Everyone always assumes Joe doesn't notice Kent's attraction.5th of 52 aspec drabbles!





	i know that you're there, so don't be sad [5/52]

**Author's Note:**

> Yes, I'm getting back to posting those! I sure need to catch up, if I want to be done with them by the end of the year :)
> 
> Title taken from the poem [Bluebird](https://allpoetry.com/poem/8509539-Bluebird-by-Charles-Bukowski) by Charles Bukowski, which helped me out, when I was desperately looking for something that would work as a title. ;)
> 
> My beta is only in form of [grammarly](https://app.grammarly.com), which I really enjoy, but which which is not perfect, so sorry about that.

Everyone always assumes Joe doesn't notice Kent's attraction.

That he is so separated from typical human interactions that he doesn't notice Kent's longing looks, his staying way longer than anyone else, lingering in the office not for as long as the case is there, but as long as Joe is. Trying to be more like Joe, dressing nicer, smelling nicer, being nicer for God's sake!

And perhaps their assumptions are not entirely unfounded. Joe is not great at picking up those clues and at first, perhaps he actually didn't notice. He forced them all to dress more professionally, Kent only took it to the logical conclusion. Kent is a hard working young man, now finally validated for his efforts, of course, he stays longer, tries harder. The way he tries to copy Joe's style and way of being could be considered flattering in the most innocent, professional way. Joe could be considered a mentor to the young sergeant, nothing wrong with that.

And those are the excuses and explanations Joe tells himself when he does start noticing Kent's behavior. When Joe's focus on the case lessens and his team stops being one huge headache and becomes a group of singular people he now considers his colleagues. Perhaps, some of them, even friends.

Still, the weeks of their work together turn into months and years and not even Joe is that unobservant nor capable of such denial of facts. He is a police officer after all. He's trained to notice things and draw logical conclusions and there is too much time between cases, between professional meetings, when private business sneaks in. He doesn't like it, he never did. If he could he would attempt to gain the trust and loyalty his team now has without bringing the personal relations into it at all, but he never had a choice. And in the boring moments of catching up with the paperwork or on unofficial meetings of his team that he can't get out of, he sees more and more of them. More and more of Kent. And he sees the infatuation, no matter how much he tries not to. He tries not to deal with it because it's not leading anywhere good, but he slips up all the time.

When his hand falls on Kent's shoulder as he leans in to look at the case file opened before them on the desk. Kent stiffens at the touch and then Joe remembers, but he can't do anything about it now without acknowledging it, so he doesn't and they move on.

When Miles again tries to set him up with someone and points out at the couple, Kent and some woman, later he learns Kent's twin-sister, Joe doesn't think Miles means the girl and he slips, slips, slips and the only thing that saves him is the good mood Miles is in and the good larger that's in him.

He slips all the time with standing too close to Kent, touching him too often, singling him out of the group. He tries not to, he knows it's not going anywhere, because it will ruin their professional conduct and because there's no chance it could work out. 

Miles keeps on telling him it might, that he's being too pessimistic and one day with someone it might work out and maybe Joe starts to believe him, but only in this "someday, someone" vague way. Not _this_ time and not with _this_ guy, and that's not nearly enough of solid ground to risk everything for just so Kent can learn first hand that crushing on your anxious, pedantic, untouchable boss is much different from actually dating an anxious, germophobic, sex-repulsed asexual man with a strong case of OCD. It's not cute or pretty, it's a mess that's not worth the bother and Joe knows it. Knows he can't put that much pressure on them, on Kent. 

But he slips and when Kent asks him out for a drink he wants to say yes. He notices the slip on Kent's side, notices what he really meant and wants to say yes anyway. Wants to say yes to exactly the thing Kent is not saying, wants to clarify and then say yes - but they're interrupted and it all goes to hell and his slip once again goes unnoticed.

He's sure it won't last, but he cares less and less about it. He actually hopes he will slip again. At just the right moment. And somehow, against all odds, it won't be too late and it will work out and Miles will have a reason to be smug for months... But it will be worth it.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on my [tumblr](http://lordnochybaty.tumblr.com/) or come to [my ace side blog](http://acesthetically-pleasing.tumblr.com/) for more aspec goodies :)
> 
> Btw, that was my first _Whitechapel_ fic, so feel free to let me know how I did. ;)


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